Page 48 of Gideon

“I should go talk to them. I don’t think they’re kidding about coming in here. That’s the last thing I want.”

“Now, hang on a second. Let me have my fun before you go all serious on me and ruin it. This is the best thing that’s happened in ages.”

“Fun? You want to have your fun?”

“Yeah, I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this my whole life, and I won’t let you spoil it. This town is nuts. And things have only gotten worse since the drought.” He put his head back out the window. “So let me get this straight. You’re saying it was these…uh…so-called ‘gods’ that brought the rain a few years back?”

“Yes!” several shouted.

Joey twisted his head toward the sky. “They brought rain how many years ago?” His lips screwed into a skeptical smile.

“When they’re appeased,” Phineas said, “they look after us. Gideon has sentenced us all to death.”

“Sheesh, this guy should teach drama class,” he mumbled before raising his voice. “So, you’re saying those totems are powerful?”

“They were until Gideon destroyed them.”

“So, they’re dead? He killed your gods?”

“Those totems carried the power of the gods,” Phineas said. “That power is still as potent as ever. It does not need to be contained.”

“Dad,” Gideon said. “That’s enough. I’m going down there.”

“Stay where you are. I’m not done yet,” Joey said before turning his attention back to the crowd. “You’re telling me there are real life gods hanging around, and they have the power to destroy or to bring life?”

“That’s precisely what we’re saying,” Phineas said, and the others agreed.

“Excellent. So glad to hear it. With that in mind, you can all go home.”

“We’re not leaving without Gideon,” Phineas said.

“Do these all-powerful gods of yours know that they require your inadequate actions to defend them? That’s a tad presumptuous of you. To think they need you to do anything for them. If you want my son to be torn to pieces, so be it. Let your gods come on in and do it themselves.”

“Dad.”

“I’ve got this, son.”

Gideon edged closer to the window and could see the people were murmuring among themselves.

“Maybe they didn’t like those totems in the first place,” Joey said. “You ever think of that? MaybeGideon was doing them a favor. Maybeyou’rethe ones angering the gods. Go home and let that sink in for a while. In the meantime, I’m having a nap, and if you guys get noisy out there, I’m calling the cops.” Joey yanked the window shut, then dusted off his hands. “There you go. Sorted. What’s next?”

“Youdoknow Asher doesn’t have a police force, right?”

“It was the effect I was going for, son. Not the exact words.” He shook his head and returned to the couch.

“Of course.” Gideon cleared his throat. “Thanks for doing that. It was…surprising.”

“Your old man has a few tricks up his sleeves. Besides, I never liked those stupid totems anyway. They were ugly as sin. And those same people—” He pointed at the window where the crowd had already begun to disperse. “—tried to convert me to Christianity years ago. They’re nothing more than a pernickety bunch of lemmings.” He laughed. “You should have seen the look on some of their faces. Might be the first time they listened to a word I said.”

“Well done, Dad,” Gideon said. “I mean it. Thanks for your help. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“There was no way I would let them get their hands on you. The only one who’s giving my boy a hiding is me.”

“You had it, then you lost it.” Gideon went to the kitchen and rinsed his mug.

“Don’t get all delicate on me now. You never could handle the hard stuff. Too sensitive by half.”

Joey rested his cup on his stomach. “So, what gaveyou the idea to cut those things down, anyway? I mean, you did some pretty harebrained things growing up, but I thought you’d grown out of it.”

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